Generative AI is prompting employers to hire more people as they search for workers that have the right skills to help scale up AI use, according to recent research from Upwork. Jobs related to generative AI were up more than 1,000% in the second quarter of 2023 on the platform compared to the end of 2022, Upwork said.
The most in-demand skills included ChatGPT, BERT, Stable Diffusion and TensorFlow, among others, according to an Aug. 22 report from Upwork.
The fastest-growing searches related to generative AI on Upwork were around AI content creation, as well.
“This sentiment around hiring plus the surge of activity from companies served as strong early indications that businesses are paying significant attention to the opportunities generative AI can provide,” according to the release.
While generative AI is comparatively newer in the AI space, the search for AI skills has troubled employers for some time. Research from September 2022 showed that “urgent action” may be needed regarding AI skills, as the lack of know-how is stifling innovation and leaving money on the table for employers in many industries, according to a SAS analysis.
And while optimism around generative AI is high, a majority of workers surveyed by Salesforce said they do not have the skills to use the tech safely or effectively, according to a report the company released in July.
Team leaders surveyed by Salesforce largely agreed that their workers lacked such skills — and employees made it clear that they believe it is something employers should teach them; around two-thirds of employees surveyed said they expect their employer to “provide opportunities to learn how to use generative AI” — and just as many said their employer does not currently do so.